Chapter 22: Puppeteer
~~ Author Note ~~
https://discord.gg/6PBf4ccNCT
Hello, readers.
I'm finally back to writing!
As always, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
~~ End Author Note ~~
***
"What a pity," Dianthus sighed. Though the priestess wasn't the strongest, she had a calming and kind demeanor. It was enough for him to take an interest in her. Of course, not romantically, but he believed she would be a great candidate for an Incarnation.
Dianthus roused from his thoughts and narrowed his eyes. Raising his hand, he caught the tip of a spear between his fingers. "I hope you realize these dolls can't harm me."
A woman clicked her tongue and leaped down from a nearby tree. "I guess one isn't enough." As the words left her mouth, two more puppets struck at him from both sides using their lances.
Black roses bloomed around Dianthus' body. Their thorny vines whipped forward, latching onto the arms of the puppets. The lances were frozen in place, unable to reach the target that lay just before them.
The woman curled her fingers. Thin wires running along a large metal cross brace behind her went taut. A puppet attached to the cables emerged from the brush behind Dianthus and thrust its rapier towards his throat. The woman smiled when she saw the rapier's tip emerge from his neck. "Hmph! That's what you deserve for killing them!"
A voice sounded beside her ear. "Oh. Who did I kill for you to attempt to take my life?" Dianthus placed his hand on her shoulder.
She trembled from the pressure he applied to her body. "H-how?" the woman stammered in confusion and fear.
Dianthus smiled. "You'd make a fine gardener." The woman watched with shock as the body that the puppet stabbed slowly reformed into a rose bush. "Though I suppose you won't get the chance to change professions."
Vines slowly crept their way up the woman's leg, squeezing her tightly. The woman gritted her teeth in pain as the plants began to wring the life out of her. She tried to curl her fingers in an attempt to fight back, only to notice her puppets and cross brace were already buried amongst a pile of black roses.
The woman trembled in fear as the vines inevitably covered her entire body. The thorns constantly dug into her skin as the plants tightened their hold. Before her head was engulfed, another figure appeared near Dianthus.
"Wait! Please let her go!"
The woman engulfed in vines was shocked. 'How is she here? I thought she was dead.'
Dianthus turned towards the shout. "You want me to let this assassin go, Eruza?"
"She isn't an assassin," Eruza insisted.
Dianthus shrugged. "Either way, she attempted to kill me. That's enough of a reason to dispose of her." The same shit-eating grin he often had when teasing her appeared on his handsome face. "But, I suppose I could change my mind if my cute wife begs me sincerely."
Eruza pouted at him, puffing her cheeks in mock anger. "Geez! Why do you always tease me?"
Dianthus walked up to Eruza and lifted her chin, causing her to look into his eyes. "Probably because the reaction I get is too cute to miss." He leaned his head down and stole her lips briefly. "So, what does my wife have to say?"
Eruza hugged him and spoke with a red-tinged face, "Can you please let her go, dear?"
"Of course, beautiful." Dianthus slightly waved his hand towards the tangle of greenery. The mass of vines and black roses wilted and crumbled away into dust, freeing the woman and her puppets.
The woman collapsed onto the ground, her puppets and cross brace falling as well. Her exposed skin had multiple marks indicating where the vines dug into her. Small blood trails dripped down from holes that the thorns had left on her body.
Eruza let go of Dianthus and rushed to the woman's side. "Rina! Are you alright?" Eruza helped the woman stand up. She kept one arm around Rina to support her and turned towards Dianthus. "Can you please heal her?"
Seeing her big, round puppy dog eyes, Dianthus couldn't help but cave in. He strutted over and placed a palm on Rina's head. She initially flinched when she saw his hand approach, remembering the chilling pressure he exuded earlier. However, instead of the familiar, terrifying sensation, Rina experienced warm, relaxing energy spread throughout her body.
She cracked open one of her eyes and looked at the man in front of her. A translucent pink aura covered his arm that caused her to lower her guard subconsciously. It sparked her long-lost desire for love and protection.
By the time Dianthus pulled his arm away, her initial hatred for him had all but disappeared. The wounds on her body were now a thing of the past. The only reminder was the slight damage to her clothes as the strange energy had taken care of even the blood. "What did you do?" she asked curiously.
Seeing that even Eruza looked curious, Dianthus decided to answer. "It was a combination of healing magic and concept control. I used it to both calm your mind and mend your wounds."
Rina was uncomfortable knowing that he had erased the initial hatred she held. As if reading her mind, Dianthus lightly flicked her forehead. "If you still wish to feel contempt for me, you will be able to do so soon enough. The calming effect only lasts for so long. Its impact isn't so great against those with negative feelings for the caster."
She felt relieved that the magic didn't permanently alter her mind but still felt aggrieved with the impact of his finger against her forehead. Rina angrily puffed her cheeks and turned away from the man who was the cause of her frustration.
Eruza giggled at Rina from the side. "I've never seen such a cute side of Rina before. I bet Hitomi and Ui will love to hear about this. The cool beauty finally met her match."
Rina snapped out of her anger and grabbed Eruza by the shoulders. "Hitomi and Ui are alright as well? Where are they?"
"S-stop shaking me! I'm getting dizzy!" Eruza whined.
"Sorry!" Rina said and let go of Eruza's shoulders. "I was just so worried about you three. When I returned to free you all, the three of you were nowhere to be seen. I asked around about the yokai den and was told that one man wiped out every yokai. I heard that none had survived."
"The other yokai were destroyed while the three of us followed our now-husband to survive. Thanks to him, we could all achieve a complete transformation and grow much stronger," Eruza stated with a toothy grin.
Rina was dumbfounded. "Husband? How did that happen?"
Eruza tapped her fingers against each other and blushed. "Well, one thing led to another, and now the three of us have become his wives."
"If that's the case, then where are Ui and Hitomi?" Rina asked.
"Ui is with our step-daughter. As for Hitomi, probably still struggling to get out of bed." Eruza snickered, thinking about Hitomi's plight.
The insinuation went over Rina's head. She instead believed that Hitomi was potentially being lazy. "When can I meet them. I've missed the three of you."
Eruza glanced towards Dianthus, who was standing patiently to the side. "Can Rina come with us to your realm?"
"If that's what you want, I don't really mind," Dianthus shrugged. "Though don't think this will save a particular naughty cat from her due punishment."
'Punishment for a cat?' Rina's thoughts were all over the place. 'Do they have a pet cat?'
Meanwhile, Eruza's face grew red. "I didn't think that!" Despite her fake reluctance, she was wholeheartedly looking forward to the upcoming night.
Dianthus smiled wickedly at the embarrassed Eruza. Eruza attempted to hide her face from his overwhelming gaze by using her hands. Between the two of them, Rina just looked on with confusion. "Um... Are we going to see Ui and Hitomi now?"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone